Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pot over
medium heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook for a couple of minutes,
until they start to brown. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil along with the chopped
onion, garlic and leek. Continue to cook, strirring occasionally, over
medium heat until softened. Add the chopped carrot, celery, zucchini, potato and stir around for a minute or two. Add the stock, the chickpeas, and then the tomatoes,
crushing them with your hands as you go. Add a few generous pinches of
salt (be judicious if your stock is salted already). Bring the soup to a
boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes,
until the potatoes are just tender. Add the kale and the tortellini, and continue to cook
over a simmer until both are tender and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve garnished with a spoonful of
the pesto, a few drops of the aged balsamic, and a generous sprinkling
of grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Chop, chop, and chop the basil or parsley some more by
hand until it's very fine...when you do this, you'll reduce it down to
about 1/4 cup. As you chop the basil, start to incorporate the other
ingredients and chop them fine, too, until you have a lovely, finely
chopped pesto. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the olive oil. Use as a garnish for the minestrone.

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Edible Baja Arizona—a magazine celebrating the foodways of Tucson and the borderlands; featuring an array of stories and photographs that celebrate the joys of eating locally, explore the rich food heritages of Baja Arizona, and advocate for the importance of relocalizing our foodshed. Edible Baja on Twitter.